Trimmer having manually operable means to adjust trim width while trimmer is in operation



May 25, 1965 S. METER ETAL TRIMMER HAVING MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS TO ADJUST TWIN WIDTH WHILE TRIMMER IS IN OPERATION Filed July 19, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 puffi-f l l l lpmlm..

Har/legs 3,185,009 MEANS To ADJUST TWIN WIDTH WHILE TRIMMER Is IN OPERATION Filed July 19, 1962 May 25, 1965 R. s. METER l-:TAL

TRIMMER HAVING MANUALLY OPERABLE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll.

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May 25, 1965 R. s. METER ETAL 3,185,009

, TRIMMER HAVING MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS TO ADJUST TWIN WIDTH WHILE TRIMMER IS IN OPERATION 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 19, 1962 3,185,009 ANs To ADJUST TWIN WIDTH WHILE TRIMMER 1s 1N OPERATION Filed July 19, 1962 May 25, 1965 R. s. METER ETAL TRIMMER HAVING MANUALLY OPERABLE ME 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 3,185,009 UALLY OPERABLE MEANS To ADJUST L A T E R w. m E m M. w SNT. H Rmw mm VT. MW N R I www M m 5 6T 9 l. 5, 2 V. Ma

ER IS IN OPERATION 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 19, 1962 az I May 25 1955 R s ETAL 3,185,009

TER TRIMMER HAVING MANUA Y OPERABLE MEANS T0 ADJUST IS IN OPERATION 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 TWIN WIDTH WHILE TRIMMER Filed July 19, 1962 Z4 FIE. 1|]

United States Patent O TRIMMER HAVING MANUALLY GPERABLE MEANS TO ADJUST TRM WIDTH 9i/HELE TRIMMER IS IN OPERA'HN Raymond S. Meter, Evergreen Fark, and Robert liine,

Chicago, ill., assignors to Uareo, Incorporated, a corporation of Iilinois Filed duly I9, 1962, Ser. No. 210,981 I7 Claims. (Cl. 553-423) This invention relates to devices for trimming continuous form of stationery and more particularly to adjustment devices for trimmer mechanisms.

Most forms of continuous form stationery include side margins which have means, such as holes, for receiving motion imparting means, such as pins attached to a driven pinwheel for urging the stationery through a particular data processing unit. Before this stationery can be presented in a final form, this excess marginal material must be removed. These margins have different widths or trim width, with the distance from the centerline of the holes to the inner edge of the margin being a variable and the dis* tance from the centerline of the holes to the outer edge of the margin being a constant. Therefore, machines adapted to remove this excess marginal material from continuous form stationery preferably should be adjustable to process stationery having margins or different widths, wherein a portion of the marginal material being removed has a constant width. Present adjustment means found in trimmer devices for adjusting the trimmer to trim stationary of different marginal widths generally comprise set screws or bolts which require the use of special tools, such as a screw driver or an Allen wrench, to loosen and tighten the screws or bolts so that the trimmer may be properly adjusted. These adjustment are not always accurate and therefore time consuming and laborious readjustments must often be made. Not only is this time consuming, but it also often results in sloppy trimming because the trimmer operator may not bother with repeated laborious resetting.

Various forms of continuous form stationery may also have different overall widths or paper width and therefore a trimmer should also be correspondingly adjustable to receive stationery having different total widths. Present adjusting means for adjusting trimmers to confrom to stationery of different widths also comprise set screws or bolts which require the use of special tools such as a screw driver or an Allen wrench to make the appropriate adjustment. Accordingly, these adjustments also are not always accurate because of the time consuming and laborious effort involved and also because the actual width of the stationery is often unknown when it is presented for trimming. In this case, when an improper width adjustment for stationery is made, the stationery may bubble or refuse to lie in an even plane. This may cause creases to be formed in the stationery or may promote jamming of the machine.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device having means for making a rapid and accurate adjustment of trim width while the trimmer device is in operation.

` It is still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device having means for adjusting for trim width which does not require the use of special tools.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device having means for accurately measuring the adjustment of trim width operatively connected with the adjustment means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device having means for making rapid accurate adjustments of the trimmer to conform to stationery of different widths.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved trimmer device having means for adjusting 'the trimmer to conform to stationery of different widths, said means not requiring the use of special tools.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved trim device having means incorporated in the trimmer for accurately measuring paper width and accurately positioning the trimmer to that width.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view in partial phantom outline of a trimmer mechanism embodying this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view on an en.- larged scale of a portion of FIGURE 2 showing a trim unit and calibrated bar;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a component of the trim units shown in FIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of FIGURE 2 showing an individual trim unit;

FIGURE 7 is a section view taken along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a section view taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a section view taken along the line 9 9 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary section view taken along the line itl- I6 of FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURE l, the trimmer mechanism 10 of this invention is included in a frame 12 of generally boxlike configuration. Mounted within the frame i2 and shown in phantom outline in FIGURE 1 are a motor 14 and a pulley I6 interconnected by a belt 18 for supplying driving force from the motor to the pulley. Also shown in phantom outline in FIGURE 1 is a belt 20 driven by a pulley 29a which is operably associated with the pulley 16. Belt 20 supplies motive force to the trim rewind pulley 22. Pulley 16, by means of conventional gearing arrangements, transmits rotational force to the driven shafts 24 and 24a. Shafts 24 and 24a are journalled for rotation in frame I2 and extend generally parallel to each other across the front lila of the trimmer I0. The exterior configuration of shafts 24 and 24a is generally hexagonal which provides the shafts with radially upstanding portions for transmitting rotational force to concentrically mounted elements of mating interior configuration while permitting lateral movement of the said elements relative to the hexagonal shafts. Extending generally parallel to the driven shafts 24 and 24a and in substantial vertical alignment therewith is a fixed mounting means or mounting shaft 26, generally circular in crosssection. Mounted on the shaft 26 and intersected by the driven shafts 24 and 24a are a pair of trim units 23 and 28a which are adapted to drive stationery Stithrough the mechanism and trim marginal portions 34 and 34a therefrom.

Stationery trimmed by this mechanism generally has a line of perforate holes 32 in the margin thereof spaced inwardly a uniform distance from its outer edges 31 and 31a. A line of weakening 33 and 33a extending gen- 03 erally parallel to the outer edges 31 and 31a of the stationery forms the innerV edge of marginal portions 34 and 34a. While the perforate holes 32 are spaced a generally uniform distance from the outer edges of stationery 30, the lines of weakening 33 and 33a are not so uniformly spaced inwardly from the holes 32. The lines of weakening 33 and 33a are used for hand removal of the marginal material. en trimming by mechanical means, no line of weakening is required. However, the trimmer should cut the stationery along a line spaced inwardly from the line of weakening to insure thatno ragged edges will remain which may result when the stationery is cut exactlyV along the line of weakening. Thus the marginal width of stationery to be cut directly affects adjustments to be made in a trimmer device. Furthermore, the stationery itself may be of different overall Width. Therefore the trimmer mechanism Ymust be capable of being adapted to accommodate stationeryl of different overall widths or paper width and/or paper of different marginal widths or trim Width.

Trim units 28 and 23a are allochirally related to each other and therefore the description of one such unit also serves to describe the other. In each trim unit, such as unit 28, there is a pinwheel 44 mounted on the driven shaft 24a by means of an integral collar 44a having an interior conguration 45 adapting the pinwheel andcollar for lateral movement relative to the hexagonal shaft 44u but retaining it secured thereto with respect to rotational movement therewith. Each pinwheel 44 has a plurality of radially extending pins 46 in the periphery thereof adaptedto iinpale the perforate holes 32 of the stationery 30. The rotational force applied by the shaft 24a is thereby transmitted as linear movement to the stationery 30 for` driving the stationery through the unit and the trimmer mechanism 10 in .the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIGURES 2 and 5. Also driven by the pinwheel 44 and passing over an idler roller 48 is a paper support means or belt 5d. The belt 56 has a series of holes (not shown) for cooperating with the pins 46 and is positioned under the stationery 3d to provide a moving support therefor. Such a support maintains the stationery 30 in a generally linear path-of travel as the pins 46 become disengaged with the perforate holes 32 thereof. Positioned above the stationery 30 is a vertical deflecting means or hold-down spring 52 of resilient material which serves to limit any relative vertical movement of the stationery 30 as it is fed through the trim unit 2S without impeding the horizontal movement thereof. Spring 52 has a longitudinalslot 52a formed thereon to permit free rotation of the pinwheel 44 and upstanding pins 46. o

Spaced laterally from the pinwheel 44 are a pair of mutually cooperating cutting discs 54 and 54a having cutting edges 55 and 55a. The discs 54 and 54a are operably associated with the shafts 24 and 24a, respectively, and are driven thereby. The discs 54 and 54a are so positioned on the shafts that their faces 56 and 56a are opposed relative to each other and are in substantial vertical alignment. The shafts 24 and 24a are so spaced from each other so that portions of the edges 55 and 55a of the discs 54 and 54a, respectively, overlap and thus there is a small area of facial engagement between the` two faces 56 and 56a, respectively. The cutting discs 54 and 54a are secured to the shafts 24 and 24a, respectively, by interconnecting means 57 and 57a, respectively, which secures the disc xedly thereto with respect to rotational movement of the shafts, but permits movement of the discs laterally relative to the shaft and also laterally f mounted on collar 5S is a generally'circular cylindrical disc holder 60 to which disc 54 is secured by appropriate means such as machine screws 62. A longitudinal slot 64 is formed in the interior of the disc holder 69 and cooperates with a radially-upstanding key 66 on the exterior of collar 53 to secure the disc holder 60 thereon for rotational movement therewith but permit lateral movement of the disc holder relative to the collar 5S and, therefore, relative to thek shaft 24 as well. The collar 58 is mounted for rotation in a bearing 59 which is press fitted into Va trim unit frame. Snap rings 70 and 70a on the collar 58 hold the collar against lateral movement relative to the bearing.

The discholder 6d and its associated disc 54 are moved laterally by means of the traversing means 94. Traversingmeans 94 includes an adjusting screw 96 extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of holder 6i) and shaft24. Screw 96 has a knurled head 98 at one end and a threaded portion 100 on the shank 101. The screw 96 is adapted to be manually rotated by external digital actuation ofthe head 98. i Threadably secured to the threaded end 10i) of traversing means 94 is a lateral motion imparting means or carrier 102 which extends generally normal to the screw 96 and holder 60. Carrier 102 has an indicator portion 103 at the top Vthereof and a bearing mount 104 at the bottom thereof. A bearing 105 is secured on kthe mount 194 and rests within a circumferential groove 166 in the disc holder 60 by means of which rotational movement Vimparted to the head 98 of the traversing means 94 vistransferred to lateral movement of the disc holder 6i) as the carrier 102 is threadably moved along thev length of the threaded end 169 of the screw 96. The circumferential groove 106 in the disc n holder 66 permits rotation thereof to drive the cutting disc v 54 while adapting the holder 60 l'for receiving lateral motion imparted to it by the traversing means 94. A ball bearing 103 positioned on a spring 110 andmounted in a housing 111 cooperates with the knurled head 98 of ythe adjusting screw-96 to provide sequential frictional interruptionsy of the rotation of the head 98 whichv can be felt by the operator and are audibly heard ,in the form of clicks These frictional clicks are an aid in controlling the lateral movement of the disc holder 60 and its associated disc 54.V A stop element 107, such as a retaining ring, may -be mounted -on the end of the screw 96 to limit the lateral movement of travel of the disc 54 by preventing the carrier 102 to be further threadably advanced `on the threaded portion 100 of traversing p collar for rotation with the shaft but permit lateral movement `of the collar relative to the shaft. The collar 44a is integrally formed as part of the pinwheel 44 and therefore lateral movement of the collar 44a moves the pinwheel as well. Atene end of the collar 44a it is mounted within a press fitted bearing 7S and held relative thereto by means of a snap ring 79. A similar snap ring 75m is mounted on the opposite end of the collar 44a for a purpose to be explained later. Concentrically mounted on the collar 44a is a generally circular cylindrical disc holder Si? to which the cutting disc 54a'is secured by conventional means `such as machine screws S1. A longitudinal slot 82 in the interior-of the disc holder 80 cooperates with a radially upstanding key 83 on the exterior of the collar 44ayto secure the disc holder to the collar against rotational movement relative thereto but permitting lateral movement of the disc holder relative to the collar in a manner similar to the mountingl of the disc holder 649` relative to the collar 58.

As previously `mentioned the flat inner faces of the respective discs are opposed relative to each other and the beveled cutting edges recede from those dat sides so that the blades overlap in a flat facial juxtaposition with respect to each other. Disc holder S0 is provided with a plurality of laterally extending spring receptacles 36 each of which contains a coil spring S7 extending laterally outward of the receptacle 86. At its outwardly extending end 87a each coil spring E57 is urged against the side of the pinwheel portion 44 of the collar 44a. The combination of the coil spring mounted in the spring receptacle and pushing against the side of the pinwheel collar in association with the overlapping facial engagement of the two cutting discs results in a means lfor resiliently urging the disc 54a against the disc 54, this urging being in the direction shown by the arrow B in FIGURE 7. Since the urging of the disc 54a against the disc 54 is in a direction along the longitudinal length of the driven shafts Z4 and 24a, any movement of the disc 54, such as by means of the traversing means 94, along the length of its shaft 24 will correspondingly cause the disc 54 and its associated collar to be displaced laterally along the shaft 24o and the associated collar 44a on which it is mounted for lateral movement. However, the pinwheel 44 remains fixed since it is an integral part of the collar 44a and thus the lateral movement of the disc 54 by means of the traversing means 94 will cause the discs 54 and 54a to be laterally displaced relative to the pinwheel 44. This lateral displacement is the adjustment by lwhich the individual trim unit is adapted to trim stationery of different marginal widths. It is the distance from the center of the perforated holes of the stationery, and therefore from the center of the pins on the pinwheel, to the line of the stationery to be cut by the cutting discs which determines the marginal width or trim width of stationery and differs among various types of stationery which have dilerent marginal widths.

It `is to be noted that the disc holder 86 is of greater lateral width in cross-section than the disc holder 60. The lateral movement of disc holder 80 Will be limited by the snap ring 79a, and it can be seen that, due to the greater cross-sectional lateral width of the disc holder Si?, this holder and its associated dise 54a are not capable of as great a lateral movement away from the pinwheel 44 as is the disc holder 60. Thus when the disc holder 6@ has been moved laterally along the collar S8 in a direction indicated by the arrow B in FIGURE 7 to a point where the disc holder 80 has moved laterally along the collar 44a until it rests against the snap ring 79, the disc holder 60 is still capable of further lateral movement in the same direction. In the present embodiment, such further lateral movement of the disc holder 6@ will bring the discs 54 and 54a out of facial engagement and, therefore, out of operable association, and they will not cut stationery which is passed between them. When the holders 61) and 80 have both reached their respective lateral limits of travel the blades S4 and 54a will be separated by a distance equal to the difference in lateral cross-sectional dimension o-f the two holders. When the blades are so separated they are in what is known as a no trim position.

The top 72a of the trim unit cover 72 has a longitudinal slot 112 formed at one end thereof which receives the indicator portion 193 of the lateral motion imparting means 102. Indicator portion 1113 is bisected by an indicator line 102m which is operably associated with a scale 113 formed on one side o-f the slot 112. Since the lateral movement of the motion imparting means 162 causes lateral movement of the discs S4 and 54a, the distance traveled by means 162 as indicated by the line 103e and the scale 113` may also be interpreted as the distance traveled lby the discs 54 and 54a. The scale 113 may be calculated to indicate settings for marginal width -of the stationery to be cut by the trim unit or trim width. The space between the end of the scale 113 and the no trim indicator 114 is equivalent to the distance of lateral movement of the collar 60 from the point of the disengagement of discs 541 and 54a to the point of the lateral limit of' travel of the collar 661 away `from the pinwheel 44. As previously explained, when the cutting discs are so separated due to this difference in collar widths the trim unit is in what is known as a no trim position and the appropriate indicator 114 is provided therefor on the top 72a of the trim unit cover 72. When the trim unit is in the aforementioned no trim position the pinwheel still engages the perforations in the marginal material of the stationery and thus there is still a sequential feeding of the stationery through the unit by the pinwheel.

The trim units are secured to the mounting shaft 26 by mounting means 116. The mounting means 116 includes a collar 11S concentrically mounted on the shaft 26 and fitted in the groove 126 in the base of the trim unit. A manually actuated clamp screw 122 with an actuation knob 123 extends radially outwardly from the collar 118 at the bottom of the trim unit for locking the unit on the mountshaft 26. Loosening theclamp screw 122 unlocks the unit from the shaft 26 for lateral movement therealong. Since the cutting discs 54 and 54a and the pinwheel 44 are operably associated with the shafts 24 and 24a by interconnecting means Which permit lateral movement along the length lof the shafts 24 and 24a, each trim unit may be moved laterally by unlocking the clamp screw 122 and manually pushing the unit in the desired direction. After a selected position has been achieved, the unit is locked bv tightening the clamp screw 122 in the collar 118.

A paper width indicator 126 is mounted on the back 72b of the cover 72 by appropriate fastening means passing through longitudinal slots (not shown) permitting limited vertical movement of the indicator 126 relative to the cover 72b. The indicator 126 has a viewing portion 126a which extends substantially normal to the path of travel of the trim unit and is closely spaced from the measuring means or scaled bar 128 which extends generally parallel to the path of travel to the trim unit. The viewing portion 126g terminates in a pointed tip 130 which is bisected by a viewing line `132. The viewing lines 132 of ,the trim units are operably associated with the measurements on the scale 128 so that the distances between the trim units may be read from the scale. The indicator 126 is mounted so that the viewing line 132 corresponds with the outside edge of stationery engaged by the trim unit. Therefore the readings between the trim units will also be the measurements of the paper width of Istationery which the trim units are adapted to receive when they are in different selected positions along the lengths of their mounting and driven shafts. If the width of stationery about to be processed by the trimmer is unknown, then the stationery may be measured by the scaled bar 128 and the trim units may be appropriately spaced to conform with the measurement obtained.

The lower portion 126b of the paper width indicator 126 extends angularly outward from the back cover 72b of the trim unit and intersects the path of travel of the marginal portion 34 as it is fed outwardly from the trim unit, serving as a deflector means to deflect the marginal material downwardly into an appropriate waste receptacle (not shown). The indicator 126 is mounted for limited vertical movement so that when the cutting discs 54 and 54a are in a no trim position the indicator is raised so that the deflector 126b is brought out of the path of travel of the marginal portion 34 of the stationery and therefore will not interfere with the flow of stationery through the trimmer mechanism. Appropriate instructional language for this purpose may be indicated on the top 72a of the cover '72.

Secured to the trim unit cover 72 is a safety and guide shield 134 which extends downwardly from the cover and flares voutwardly with a rear trailing portion forming a shield closely spaced to the path of travel of the stationery. This shield serves a two-fold function in that it helps guide the stationery into the trim unit and also acts as a safety feature in that it prevents the trimmer aisance operators fingers from coming into contact with the cutting disc as the operator is initially feeding stationery into the mechanism. A base paper guide 14S is secured to the front of the trim unit below the shield 134 and cooperates therewith to produce a paper infeed channel.

Paper registering means 143 similar to that shown in the application of .lohn Lach, S.N. 809,752, entitled Power Slitter and owned by the assignee of this application is also provided for aiding the feeding of stationery into the trim units. Registering means 143 includes a rotary holddown roller 144 rotatably mounted on an arm f 145 which is secured to the trim unit on the trim unit base paper guide 14S. The arm 146 is pivotally secured to the base guide 148 by a helical spring 15d. Spring 15d forces the roller 144` against a portion of the periphery of the pinwheel 44 spaced from that portion of the pinwheel which drives the belt Sil and marginal material 34 to drive the roller 144 thereby. The roller 144 has an area of leas-t diameter 14441 which permits the rotation of the pinwheel 44 so that the upstanding pins willV not strike the -roller 144. On either side of the area 14401 of the roller 144 there are two areas of equal diameter 14411 and 1441)', which are of greater diameter than 144a but smaller than portion 144C which is in contact with the periphery of the pinwheel 44. When the pinwheel 44 and the portion 144C of the kroller 144 are in Contact, there will be a narrow space for stationery to pass between the portions 144.5 and 1441; and the surface of the pinwheel 44. Because the roller is rotated by the pinwheel 44 and it does. define a narrow space for the stationery to pass onto the pinwheel, it aids in properly guiding and feeding the stationery through the trimmer unit.

For additional paper control, paper guides 136 and 136e are secured to the mounting bar 26 by a resilient clamp 138 and support the mid-portion of stationery fed into the trimmer. The smaller supporting bar 14th spaced outwardly from the mounting bar 2e and running generally parallel thereto is used to give the paper guidera second point of support to the clamp ,142. These guides may be moved laterally along their respective mounting bars and serve as a bottom paper support for the midportions of stationery fed in the trimmer units.

AsV shown in phantom outlines in FIGURE 1 the trimmer mechanism has an outfeeding platform 152 which is in general alignment with the line of paper travel through the trim units. Located at the rear of the trimmer 10 is secured a hinged outfeed shelf 154 which is adapted to receive the processed stationery as it leaves the platform 152 and allows it to assume a stack thereon.

When the trimmer 1t) is not in use the shelf 154 may bev mechanism. Portion 152:1 of the outfeed platformlSZ is removable so that a suitably designed device, such as an imprintermechanism (not shown), may be inserted therefor and the trimmer mechanism may be adapted to imprint processed stationery as well. A storage compartment 158 with'a hinged door 160 is provided at the rear of the mechanism for containing the previously mentioned imprinter mechanism when it is not being used.

Also located at the front 10a of the trimmer mechanism below .the trim units is a trim rewind reel 162. As previously explained, this reel is driven from the motor 14 through appropriate interconnecting pulleys `and belts. Rewinding the cut marginal material 34 on a reel, such as `162, makes it more compact and requires less frequent emptying than would be necessary if the cut material were fed toa waste basket.

This new device is easily adjustable to conform to stais also accurately adjustable.

tionery having diferenttotal widths and/ or different marginal widths. Each trimmer drive unit is slidably mounted on a cross bar and may be secured at any selected position by rotating a knob carried -at the bot-tom of t-he unit to clamp the lunit onto the bar, thus making the appropriate adjustment for paper width. The device may be `adjusted for stationery of different trim widths by simply digitally actuating a finger screw for adjusting the traversing means which moves the cutting discs'laterally. The lower disc is mounted on a disc holder which limits its lateral movement, but the upper disc may be moved laterally lbeyond the lower disc limitso that the unit will not trim that-margin of the stationery passed through it. In addition to being easily adjustable, this trimmer device For paper VWidth each trim unit has a pointer mounted thereon extending normal to the path of travel of the unit. Mounted parallel to the trim unit mounting bar'is a scaled bar. At any given time, ythe pointers on each trim runit define a distance be-v tween each other which can be read from the scalded bar. Also, the stationery itself may be placed upon the scaled bar so that its width may be accurately determined. Thus both the width of the stationery and the distance between the two trim units, which is determined by the width of the stationery, may be easily read from the scaled bar.

For trim width an indicatoris operatively connected to the top blade .and moves laterally between a scale formed in the covering of the trim unit.Y At any given time the exact trim width setting can be read therefrom. The calibrations end at the limit of travel of the lower blade and the remaining span of travel of the upper blade Vis described on the scale as a no trim position. Thus at any time the exact trim setting of each trim unit may beread therefrom.

The .foregoing detailed description has been given for the clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim: Y

11A trimming mechanismfor removing marginal material from ,stationery of different widths, comprising: a pairr of driven shafts spaced apart for passage of stationery therebetween; a mounting shaft spaced from and parallel to said driven shafts; a pair of trim units releasably mounted on said mounting shaft for movement therealong and being operatively connected vwith said driven shafts, eachrtrimkunit including a Pinwheel for advancing stationery ltherethrough and a cutting disc mounted on one of said driven shafts and a second Vcuttingdiscmounted on the other driven shaft for cooperation with the first cutting disc; means interconnecting said discs with said shafts for lateral movement relative to said shafts. and said pinwheel and the trim units; a traversing member mounted in each trimfunit, said traversing member manipulatable by a users finger; and a lateral motion imparting member mounted on said traversing member for lateral movementl responsive to finger-manipulation of saidV traversing memconnected to one of said cutting discs for imparting lateral motion to at least one of the cutting discs responsive to finger manipulation of the traversing member to move said` discs Aalong said shaft relative to said pinwheel and to hold said discs in selected positions of adjustment simultaneous with the cessation of finger manipulation of .shafts for advancing stationery therethrough, said trim unit also including a cutting disc concentrically mounted on one shaft and spaced from said p-inwheel and a second cutt-ing disc mounted on the other shaft so that portions of the peripheries of the two discs overlap relative to each other; means interconnecting said first disc with said shaft for lateral movement relative to said shaft and said pinwheel; means urging said first disc against said second -disc, means interconnecting said second disc with said second shaft for lateral movement relative thereto; traversing means operably associated with said second disc for imparting lateral movement thereto, whereby said first and second discs may be traversed along the length of said driven shafts relative to said pinwheel to adapt said trim unit for removing margins from stationery of different marginal widths.

3. A trimmer mechanism for removing excess marginal material from stationery, comprising: a frame having a pair of parallel spaced driven shafts and a mounting shaft parallel to and spaced from said driven shafts; a trim unit mounted on said mounting shaft; a pinwheel in said unit secured to one driven shaft, said Wheel having a peripheral surface with pins extending outwardly therefrom for engaging perforations in the stationery to be trimmed to positively advanced the same; a first cutting disc mounted in said trim unit concentrically with said pinwheel and spaced therefrom and having a cutting edge extended generally in alignment with the peripheral surface of the pin- Wheel; a second cutting disc mounted on the other driven shaft and having a cutting edge facially contacting the first blade and overlapping a portion thereof, said overlapping cutting edges being positioned beside the area of pinwheel engagement in said perforations; means resiliently urging said first disc against said second disc; means interconnecting said discs with said driven shafts for lateral movement relative to said driven and mounting shafts including a collar on said shafts having an upstanding key for mating with a cooperating slot in said discs for transmitting radial motion from said driven shafts to said discs but permitting a lateral movement of said discs relative to said collar and said shafts and away from said pinwheel; and digitally responsive traversing means operatively associated with said second disc for impartial vlateral movement thereto whereby said discs may be laterally adjusted relative to said pinwheel for removing margins of different widths from stationery advanced by said wheel through said unit.

4. A trimmer mechanism for removing excess marginal material from stationery, comprising: a frame having a pair of parallel spaced driven shafts and a mounting shaft parallel to and spaced from said driven shafts; a trim unit mounted on said mounting shaft; a pinwheel in said unit secured to one driven shaft, said wheel having a peripheral surface with pins extending outwardly therefrom for engaging perforations in the stationery to be trimmed to positively advance the same; a first cutting disc mounted in said trim unit concentrically with said pinwheel and spaced therefrom and having a cutting edge extended generally in alignment with the peripheral surface of the pinwheel; a second cutting disc mounted on the other drivenshaft and having a cutting edge in substantially vertical alignment with the cutting edge of the first blade and overlapping a portion thereof for operably associating said discs for cutting stationery driven therebetween, said overlapping cutting edges being positioned beside the area of pinwheel engagement in said perforations; 'means resiliently urging said first disc against said second disc; means interconnecting said discs with said driven shafts for lateral movement relative to said driven and mounting shafts including a collar on said shafts having an upstanding key for mating With a cooperating slot in said discs for transmitting radial motion from said driven shafts to said discs but permitting a lateral movement of said discs relative to said collar, said shafts and said pinwheel; limit means permitting further lateral movement away from said pinwheel of said second disc than said first disc to bring said discs out of substantial vertical alignment; and digitally responsive means operatively associated with said second disc for imparting lateral movement thereto whereby said discs may be laterally adjusted relative to said pinwheel for removing margins of different widths from stationery advanced by said wheel through said unit or said discs may be further laterally adjusted to be inoperable for cutting stationery advanced by said wheel through said unit.

5. The device of claim 4 including trim width indication means operably associated with said traversing means for indicating the marginal Width of stationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position and for further indicating when said discs are inoperative for cutting stationery advanced through said unit.

6. A trimmer mechanism for removing excess marginal material from stationery, comprising: a frame having a pair of generally parallel spaced driven shafts and a mounting shaft parallel to and spaced from said driven shafts; a trim unit mounted on said mounting shaft; a pinwheel in said unit secured to one driven shaft, said wheel having a peripheral surface with pins extending outwardly therefrom for engaging perforations in the stationery to be trimmed to positively advance the same; a first cutting disc mounted in said trim unit concentrically with said pinwheel and spaced therefrom, said first cutting disc having a cutting edge in general alignment with the peripheral surface of the pinwheel; a second cutting disc mounted on the other driven shaft and having a cutting edge contacting the first blade and overlapping a portion thereof, said overlapping cutting edges being positioned beside the area of pinwheel engagement in said perforations; means resiliently urging said first disc against said second disc in a direction parallel to the axis of said shafts; ymeans interconnecting said pinwheel and said discs with said driven shafts for transmitting rotational force from the driven shafts to the pinwheel and discs but permitting lateral movement of said wheel and discs relative to said driven and mounting shafts and means interconnecting said discs with said driven shafts for lateral movement of said discs relative to said pinwheel and said driven and mounting shafts; and traversing means operably associated with said discs for imparting lateral movement thereto, whereby said trimmer unit may be adjusted for receiving stationery of different marginal widths or different total Widths or both.

7. The device of claim 6 including trim width indication means on said trim unit operably associated with said traversing means for indicating the marginal Width of stationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position.

8. The device of claim 6 including trim width indication means on said trim unit operably associated with said traversing means for indicating the marginal width of stationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position, said device also including paper Width indication means operably associated with said trim units to define the width of stationery adapted to be advanced by said trim units when said units are at any selected position along the length of the mounting shaft.

9. A trimmer mechanism for removing excess marginal material from stationery comprising: a frame having a pair of parallel spaced driven shafts of irregular peripheral configuration and a mounting shaft parallel to and spaced from said driven shafts; a trim unit mounted on said mounting shaft and intersected by said driven shafts; a pinwheel in said unit secured to one driven shaft, said wheel having a peripheral surface with pins extending outwardly therefrom for engaging perforations in the stationery to be trimmed to positively advance the same; a first cutting disc mounted in said trim unit concentrically with said pinwheel and spaced therefrom, said first cutting disc having a cutting edge in general alignment with the peripheral surface of the pinwheel; a second cutting disc mounted on the other driven shaft and having a cutting edge contacting the first blade and overlapping a portion thereof, said overlapping cut-y "i l. ting edges being positioned beside the area of pinwheel engagement in said perforations; means resiliently urging said rst disc against said second disc in a direction parallel to the axis of said shafts; means interconnecting said pinwheel and said discs with said driven shafts, f

said means including a first collar on said first driven shaft integral with said pinwheel, said first collar having an interior configuration for mating with the peripheral configuration of said shaft to secure said collar to said shaft relative to movement in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft but permitting lateral movement of said collar along said shaft, said first collar also having a radially upstanding key on the exterior thereof, said means also including a second collar on said second shaft, said second collar also having an interior configuration for mating with the peripheral configuration of said second shaft to secure said collar relative to movement in a plane transverse to the longi-` tudinal axis of said second shaft but permitting movement of said collar laterally relative to said second shaft, said second collar also having a radially upstanding key on theexterior thereof, said means further including a disc holder to Which each cutting disc is secured, said disc holders concentrically mounted on said collars With a longitudinal slot formed on the kinterior thereof for mating with said upstanding key on said collars for permitting lateral movement of'said discs `and holders relative to said collars while securing-said holders on said collars for movement in a plane transverse to the longitudinal extent of said collars, digitally responsive traversing means operatively associated with said second disc for imparting lateral movement thereto; and locking means for locking said trim unit to said mounting shaft vagainst lateral movement therealong whereby said trimmer mechanism may be adjusted for receiving stationery of different marginal Widths or total widths.

10.'The device of claim 9 including trim width indication means on said trim unit operably'associated with said traversing means for indicating the marginal width of stationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position.:

l1. The device of claim 9 including paper Width indication means operably associated with said Vtrim units to define the Width of stationery adapted to be advanced by said trim units when said units are at any selected position along the length of the mounting shaft.

l2. The device of. claim 9 including trim width indication means on said trim unit operably associated with said traversing means for indicating the marginal Width of stationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position; said device also including paper width indication means operably associated with said Y trim units to define the Width of stationery adapted to be advanced by said trim units when said units are at any selected position along the length of the mounting shaft.

13. A trimmer mechanism for removing excess marginal material from stationery comprising: a frame having a pair of parallel spaced driven shafts having an irregular peripheral configuration and a mounting shafty parallel to and spaced from said driven shafts; a trim unit mounted on said mounting shaft and intersected-by said driven shafts; a pinwheel in said lunit secured to one driven shaft, said wheel having a peripheral surface with pins extending outwardly therefrom for engaging` perforations in the stationery to be trimmed to positively advance the same; a rst cutting disc mounted in said trim unit concentrically with said pinwheel and spaced therefrom, said first cutting disc having a cutting edge in general alignment with the peripheral surface of the pinwheel; a second cutting disc mounted on the other driven shaft and having a cutting edge contacting the first blade and overlapping a portion thereof, said overlapping cutting edges being positioned beside the area of pinwheel engagement in said lperforations; means resiliently urging said first discr against said second disc in a direction parallelto the axis of said shaftsgrmeans interconnecting said pinwheel and said discs with said driven shafts, said means including a first collar on said first driven shaft integral Withsaid Pinwheel, said rst collar having an interior configuration for mating with the peripheral configuration of said` shaft to secure said collar to said shaft relative to movement in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft but permitting lateral movement of said collar along said shaft, `said first collar also including ,a radially upstanding key on the exterior thereof, said means ralso including a second collar on said second shaft said second collar also having an interior configurationV for mating with the transverse configurationof said second shaft to secure said collar relative to movement in a plane transverse tothe longitudinal axis of said second shaft but permitting movement of said collar laterally relative to Vsaid second shaft, said second collar also including a radially upstanding key on the exterior thereof, said. means further including a disc holder to which each cutting disc is secured, said kdisc holders concentrically mounted on said collars with a longitudinal slot formed` on theinterior thereof for mating with said upstanding keys on said collars for permitting lateral movement of said discs and holders relative to said collars ywhile-securing said holders on said collars for movement in a plane transverse to the longitudinal extent of said collars, digitally responsive traversing means operatively associated with said second disc for imparting lateral movement thereto including a manually operable threaded element in said trim unit having its longitudinal Vaxis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said disc holders, a circumferential groove in said second disc holder and a motion imparting element threadably associated with said threaded element and extending generally normal thereto into said groove fory transferring rotational motion imparted to said threaded element into lateral motion to saiddis'c holder While permitting rotation of said ldisc holderrabout its` axis; and locking means for locking said trim unit to said mounting shaft against lateral lmovement therealong whereby said trimmer mechanism may be adjusted for receiving stationery of different marginal Widths or total widths.

14. The device .of claim 13 including trim width indicati-on means formed on said trim unit and operably.`

associatedrwith said lateral motion imparting` means of said traversing means for indicating `the margin-al width of ystationery adapted to be cut by said discs in any selected lateral position along the longitudinal axis of said driven shafts.

l5.The device of claim 13` including paper width indication means comprising a vscale, spaced from said 'driven shafts tand exten-ding generally parallel to the path of vsaid trim units and an indicator on `said trim units having a viewer portion extending generally normal to the path of tnavel of said trim unitsY for coopenating with said :scaler to determine the paper Width of stationery adapted to `-be advanced by said trim :unit-s when said trim units are ,at any selected position alongthelength of said mounting shaft. Y

16. The device of claim 1'3 including trim width indication lmeans formed on said 'trim unit Vand operably associated with said later-al motion imparting meansof said traversing means for indicatingthe marginal widthl 13 said trim units ,are at any selected position along the length -of said mounting shaft.

17. The device of claim 16 including stationery guide means located extern-ally of said trim units for aiding the feeding of stationery into the trim unit and registering the stationery `on said pinwheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 14 King 83-501 X Fortner 83-433 X Keiser 83-499 X Davidson 83-504-X Antum et al 83-423 Wright 22S-100 X Enth 83-423 Lach 83-423 X K9/ 82 Spooner 83-504 X 10 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR REMOVING MARGINAL MATERIAL FROM STATIONARY OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF DRIVEN SHAFTS SPACED APART FOR PASSAGE OF STATIONARY THEREBETWEEN; A MOUNTING SHAFT SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFTS; A PAIR OF TRIM UNITS RELEASABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOUNTING SHAFT FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG FAND BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DRIVEN SHAFTS, EACH TRIM UNIT INCLUDING A PINWHEEL FOR ADVANCING STATIONERY THERETHROUGH AND A CUTTING DISC MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFTS AND A SECOND CUTTING DISC MOUNTED ON THE OTHER DRIVEN SHAFT FOR COOPERATING WITH THE FIRST CUTTING DISC; MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID DISCS WITH SAID SHAFTS FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SHAFTS AND SAID PINWHEEL AND THE TRIM UNITS; A TRAVERSING MEMBER MOUNTED IN EACH TRIM UNIT, SAID TRAVERSING MEMBER MANIPULATABLE BY A USER''S FINGER; AND A LATERAL MOTION IMPARTING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID TRAVERSING MEMBER OF SAID TRAVERSING MEMSAID DISCS ALONG SAID SHAFT RELATIVE TO SAID PINWHEEL AND TO HOLD SAID DISCS IN SELECTED POSITIONS OF ADJUSTMENT SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE CESSATION OF FINGER MANIPULATION OF SAID TRAVERSING MEMBER TO ADAPTED SAID TRIM UNIT FOR REMOVING DIFFERENT MARGINAL WIDTHS FROM STATIONARY. 